The dramatic observations of the past two years in astrophysics captured the imagination of the world. Beyond the usual flurry of excitement over Nobel Prize worthy discoveries, there is the real prospect of having a new window on the cosmos through gravitational waves and the combination of information from them and multi-EM wavelength observations. However, the excitement for physics extends well beyond any particular subfield. The prospects across our science have never been brighter and the inherent dangers to humanity of having the public ignore physical science have never been greater. This all underscores the importance of continually building enthusiasm in our community to “tell our stories.” FOEP is the home within APS for the large number of physicists carrying out a vast array of outreach engaging the public activities. Distribution outlets such as blogging, video and multimedia distribution allow essentially any physicist to address a worldwide audience. FOEP stands ready to encourage ever more APS members to “engage the public as partners in the enterprise of physics.” Please join us!

One of the best ways to find out more about the diverse means by which physics is being publicized is to come to the invited sessions at the APS March and April meetings. We have a terrific line up of speakers including Joe Niemala (ICTP), Sam Sampere (Syracuse U.), Jorge Cham (PhD Comics), Tatiana Erukhimova (Texas A&M) and Clara Moskowitz (Senior Editor at Scientific American). For the April meeting we have (to be confirmed) Lucianne Walkowicz (Adler Planetarium and Library of Congress), Renee Horton (NASA), and Becky Thompson (APS). The breadth of experience in engaging the public is spectacular!

Welcome to our new members
I want to welcome the new members of FOEP and especially point out the newest member of the FOEP leadership, Jim Kakalios of the U. of Minnesota. Don Lincoln moves from Vice Chair to Chair-Elect. Both Jim and Don have extensive outreach portfolios in addition to being superb physicists. I also welcome Kathleen Hinko and Shireen Adenwalla to the Executive Committee in the Members-at-Large slots and thank them in advance for their work to come for FOEP.

The current FOEP Executive Committee members are:
Past Chair: Itai Cohen
Chair: Larry Gladney
Chair-Elect: Don Lincoln
Vice Chair: Jim Kakalios
Secretary/Treasurer: E. Dan Dahlberg
Members at Large: Heide Doss, Rachel Henderson, Kathleen Hinko, Shireen Adenwalla
APS Staff member: Rebecca Thompson
Assigned Council Representative: Gay Stewart
Editor of the FOEP Newsletter: Heide Doss

Give a non-technical talk in addition to your technical talk at APS meetings

I would like to remind the community and the FOEP members in particular that they can give a non-technical talk in addition to their technical science presentation at the APS meetings. I encourage you to do so. The diversity of outreach is extensive as the field of physics itself. Please share your work and enthusiasm for outreach!

Larry Gladney